Healings
by Sombre Destin
Summary: After the battle with Irenicus, Faeryl Jaelre a halfdrow bhaalspawn and her friends begin the long process of healing their physical and emotional wounds.
1. Phaere

CHAPTER 1: Phaere

Disclaimer: I don't own BG2, I think that I'll know it and you too, if I did. Oh yeah, you'd know it!

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It was night in the forest of Tethyr. Phaere Despana, former First Daughter of House Despana in Ust Natha and currently unwillingly exiled at the surface was in a very, very, bad mood. Her captor, Faeryl Jaelre a vile drothir half-drow, half-elf, was standing close to her,the moonlight illuminating her bare blue-grey skin, her night-blue hair flowing in the cool wind and her golden eyes half closed, humming a song while gazing at the moon. She has been dancing under Phaere's gaze for a while, but was now apparently done with her worship of that false goddess of her.  
It has been a shock to discover that her champion, "Veldrin" was in fact a surfacer mongrel and worse, a Sword dancer of that weakling goddess Eilistraee.  
She had killed Phaere's mother Matron Ardulace and abducted the First Daughter, robbing her of her place of new Matron Mother. Phaere gritted her teeth at the thought. She was so close to success! Her mother had given the false eggs to the demon, getting herself killed by the offended fiend, then she had moved forward ready to claim the glory for herself when that damned bitch had knocked her out. 

When she woke up, she was in an elven war basement, surrounded by unknown surfacers and to her horror, Solaufein was here too. She had almost fainted seeing him next to her, partly from surprise, partly from... something else. He had explained to her the treachery she had been caught in: Veldrin and her party were in fact surface adventurers in search of that mad wizard Irenicus. With Solaufein, she had been left in the in the elves' care, while Faeryl and her friends Imoen, Jaheira, Minsc, Aerie, Viconia a drow renegade and Jan Jansen, went chasing after someone called Bhodi.

It has been one of the worst period of her life. The darhtiir's chief, Elhan locked her with Solaufein, and four elven guards, who seemed to be waiting for the slightest pretext to kill them. Though she hated to admit it, she had been terrified and to her greatest shame, she was sure that the other drow had seen it.

Thinking about the devil... she saw Solaufein appear between the trees; The male was given the "privilege" to walk freely by the Queen of Suldanesselar , because of his alleged "heroic deeds during a time of dire need". The former commander of the male warriors' society seemed more happy than Phaere had ever seen him,including the time they were lovers.  
The warrior exchanged a smile with the sword dancer and kneeled in front of her, waiting to receive her blessing. The sight sickened Phaere.  
That arrogant harlot! Who did she think she was?  
She watched as Faeryl helped Solaufein up and kissed his brow. One moment, the drow female thought about stabbing the drothir in the back, but she knew the risks were far too high. She had seen the eilistraean fight and was not arrogant enough to think she could stand a chance in her current state. Not while Lolth had forsaken her.  
She didn't think that anybody had noticed, but when she had reached for the presence of the Dark Goddess, she couldn't find her. She was strong, however. She knew that eventually, she'd regain Lolth's favor, by a mean or another. It simply couldn't be otherwise. The alternative was unthinkable. It was just that she felt so... alone and helpless.  
She was so deep in thought that at first she didn't notice the Sword dancer talking to her and she was startled when Faeryl lightly touched her arm. She cursed inwardly; in the Underdark, these mere seconds of distraction could have been her death.

"So, Phaere, tell me, what would be your projects from now?" asked the half-drow.

Surprised, the Despana daughter looked up at the drothir. Was the wael naive enough to think that she'd tell HER about her plans?

"She probably intend to kill you somehow and try to bring your head back in Ust Natha to the Handmaiden as an offering." said dryly Solaufein.  
Phaere glared viciously at him, wishing she could kill in the most vicious manner right now. The male had spoken too close to the truth to her liking.

"Peace Solaufein, it was Phaere I was talking to." said gently Faeryl.

"You don't really think that I will answer that question, do you?" retorted the drow female.

"Well...not really. Not at first, anyway. However you should know that I am well aware of your current situation. I know that you have lost your goddess favor, and I highly doubt that she'll forgive you your mistakes. Besides why would you want to come back to her? All that you can hope is a cruel and lonely life that will end at one of your children's hands. You just have to look at your mother fate!"

Phaere felt her repressed anguish grow with each word the other female spoke. Deep inside, she knew that this was true, but she just couldn't accept it. Fifty years of indoctrination and months of tortures at the hands of the handmaiden of the Spider Queen were not so easily denied.

"What can you know, you waela jalil? it is her own foolishness that led Ardulace tor her demise! the way of Lolth is the only one that can lead to power! everything else is weakness and folly!"

"Yes, I am sure it is. Just remind me, who the handmaiden who tortured you were worshipping, already? wasn't it Lolth?"

"Shut up, elg'caress! I...deserved my punishment. I had to be reminded of the sacred duties of a priestess. I should not have let a mere male get between me and my goddess will. I...I...it was...my fault..." when she stopped talking, Phaere was on the verge of tears. The memory of the tentacle rods were trying to surface once more, and she had to keep them away. She couldn't afford to show a weakness to this mongrel.

Why did she speak to that half-breed, anyway? thought Phaere. She didn't need to justify herself, did she?

"It wasn't your fault. You hadn't done anything wrong and you know it. You were simply in love, that's nothing to be punished for." said Faeryl on a soothing tone.

Why did she speak to her like this? wondered the drow, Why did she really seemed to care anyway? Why should anyone care? She had no power left, nor riches or anything. She was...a failure. Everything she had fought for was now lost and beyond her reach. She lived by the only will of her enemies and her goddess, despite all her efforts didn't want her anymore. All her sufferings had been...in vain.  
Without her noticing it, her tears were now flowing freely down her cheeks, tears that she has been holding back for years, since she first entered Lolth's service. Faeryl took her in her arms, hugging her gently. The sobbing drow clung to her like a scared child.

"I don't know what to do, sobbed Phaere, I don't what I should do anymore."

"You can do anything you want, Phaere. Nobody here will hurt you. Do you hear me? you don't have to follow your mother tracks and become what you hated so much, but should you decide to go back to Ust Natha, I would help you to. You could also accompany me when I'll leave. You are free."

Pulling away from the still crying drow, she added:

"I will let you for a while, now. You have important matters to discuss with Solaufein here, I think."

The Despana daughter nodded weakly, not meeting the gaze of the man she once loved, then had wanted to kill.  
Giving Phaere an encouraging smile, she picked up her clothes, and walked away, giving the two drows the privacy they would need to find each other again. She knew that Phaere still loved Solaufein. She had seen the look of sadness, the fist daughter had when she had thought that the warrior was dead.  
It was at this instant she noticed a lone elf walking toward her.

"Well met, Faeryl hero of Suldanesselar! he greeted her. The queen sent me inform you that your presence is required at the castle as soon as possible."

The drothir sighed in annoyance; of all the people she doesn't want to see, the Queen of the elves was the first.


	2. Troubles with the Queen

Chapter 2: Troubles with the Queen

Disclaimer: I still doesn't own Baldur's gate 2 or its characters. But who can say? perhaps one day...

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Jaheira was beginning to worry. The sun was high in the sky already and neither Faeryl nor Imoen had slept in the house the party shared in Suldanesselar. The druid was planning to go looking for her young wards when she heard the front door opening abruptly and the angry voice of Faeryl in the entrance, closely followed by Imoen's hysterical giggling and Dermin's indignant sounding tone.

"I just can't believe that you spoke to the queen Ellesime like that!" Imoen managed to say between two giggles.

"It was her fault! she started it all!" responded the sword dancer rather childishly.

"I think that perhaps you overreacted just a little bit don't you?" sighed Dermin.

"I didn't! all I said was true!"

"You called her a moronic weakling in front of half of her counselors!" exclaimed the priestess of Rillifane.

"And I meant it!"

"I thought that Ehlan was going to have a heart attack!" laughed the young human thief, "the look on his face was priceless!"

"Yeah, it was, wasn't it?" chuckled Faeryl.

"This is not funny! people have been banned from the city for less than what you've done! you kicked Ehlan in the groin and threatened to...to feed his manly attributes to the crows!"

"He called me a drowish abomination! He should be grateful I didn't cut off his tongue right there! nindol yeunn sjaad'ur whol biu darthirii!"

"I'm sure I don't want to know what you just said."

"Could you children explain what all this noise is about, please?" intervened an annoyed looking Jaheira when the three women entered the sitting room.

Dermin gave the druid an odd look, clearly displeased to be called a child by a woman at least two hundred years younger than herself.

"Heya, Jaheira" greeted Imoen, "you just missed the most amusing show in Suldanesselar ever!"

"Good morning Jaheira," grinned the drothir, " how are you? had a good night? me too, thank you, it's kind of you to care Jaheira, you're such a sweet and loving friend!"

"Alright, alright, good morning. Now, what were you saying about Ellesime?"

"Well that she's just a kl'eril zhuanth elg'caress not worth talking about, that's all. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to my room. I had a very long night and I'm tired."

"You won't go anywhere before you tell me exactly what happened last night with the queen, child!" retorted the half-elf, glaring at the sword dancer. She was sure that something was wrong, usually, Faeryl reverted to the drow language only when she was loosing her calm.

Faeryl glared back, but Jaheira could make a statue lower it's gaze by the sheer strength of her character and the drothir was really tired.

"Okay" she sighed in defeat,"I'll tell you, but could we sit first, at least?"

"Do as you please" graciously granted the druid.

Behind her, the sword dancer heard Imoen chuckling like a crazed hyena. 'You just wait, dalninil', she thought, letting herself fall on a settee and facing her half-elven friend, while Dermin and Imoen each sat on a chair near the half-drow.

"Well,this is a rather short story in fact," began The young drothir, " I was in the forest with Solaufein and Phaere, when an elf sent by Ellesime came to give me a convocation from the queen. Imoen, who had been spying on us all the night, probably hoping to see if Solaufein would dance naked, suddenly appeared..."

"Hey! I wasn't spying! I just found myself lost in this stupid forest while looking for uh...strawberries! yeah, that's it, strawberries! shame on you for insinuate that I would commit such an evil act as spying!"

"Immy, you were spying."

"Was not"  
"Were too."

"Was not!"

"Were too."

"Please, can we come back to your story, Faeryl?" snapped Jaheira.

"Err... yes. Sure. What was I saying? oh, yes I remember. Imoen decided to stop spying and asked me to come with me, so we both went to the castle. There Ellesime began to ramble about some elves who disliked Phaere and Solaufein being in Suldanesselar and then I... well... sort of lost my temper a little..."

"Yeah, sorta!" giggled Imoen.

"At this point everybody began shouting and arguing save for Dermin who was trying to calm everybody and Immy who was laughing so hard that she was rolling on the floor."

"Because you called Ehlan and his wise elves a bunch of old perverted drooling dogs!"

"They kept looking at my cleavage all the time!"

"Well, your dress IS rather revealing lil' sister..." remarked Imoen.

"I hadn't planned to be summoned at the castle, you know? anyway, in the end, Ellesime expelled everybody and we came back here, that's all."

"That's all? THAT'S ALL? Child what passed through your mind? I've seen you act thoughtlessly before, but that!" the druid exclaimed incredulously.

"She wanted to send Phaere away! just because a handful of idiots are afraid of her! Phaere is under my responsibility, she has just begun a new life, I won't let anyone interfere!"

"Did you think that angering the queen of the city against you, would help Phaere in any way?" asked Jaheira.

"I-I don't know Jaheira, I didn't really think about it. I was just so angry that I have to express it someway I think. And beside, I just can't stand, that waela jalil."

"Why is that? she had done nothing to you that I can recall."

"Nothing?"shouted Faeryl.

She let a long series of virulent drowish curses escape from her lips. Jaheira couldn't understand the words, but the venom in her tone was unmistakable. She arched an eyebrow in curiosity: what could the queen have done to deserve such spite?

"Everything was her fault!" Faeryl spat, "she created Irenicus and let him loose in the nature! If she had been less stupid and irresponsible, Imoen and I wouldn't have been tortured, we wouldn't have our soul or spirit ripped of by this monster! Dynaheir and Khalid would be alive! Even this city wouldn't have been near-destroyed if only she had been more than a criminally weak-minded bitch! even when we freed her from her cage, she let us fight the fiend she was responsible for, she was not even willing to assume her mistake, oloth plynn ilta!"

A choked cry from the entrance of the sitting room, startled the four women. There, stood Ellesime, Queen of Suldanesselar, eyes shining with tears, shaking from head to toes.

"What are you doing here? " snarled the drothir, her amber-like eyes flashing in anger.

"I-I'm so sorry..." whispered Ellesime before exploding in tears. Turning round, she ran away from the house as fast as she could.

"Ellesime! wait!" shouted Dermin, before running after her queen.

Imoen and Jaheira turned toward Faeryl, disapprovingly glaring at her.

"Hey! let me be! She wasn't meant to hear that. What was she doing here anyway?"

The thief and the druid didn't answer, simply glaring at the increasingly nervous sword dancer.

"Listen, I didn't mean to hurt her feelings, I didn't even know that she was there! You... you don't expect me going to console her, do you?"

Still no answer.

"Oh, alright, I'll go. However It's only because you two are really making me uncomfortable. Not because of any feeling of guilt or something like that. No ma'am."

Muttering something about creepy harpies, she quickly exited the house, heading toward the castle.  
Imoen and Jaheira exchanged a look and the thief burst in laughs while the druid tried unsuccessfully to suppress a smile.

"It works every time!" chuckled the young human.


	3. Imoen

CHAPTER 3: Imoen

Disclaimer: I don't own BG2. Stop twisting the knife in the wound.

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"You really should retire child, you look positively exhausted." said Jaheira.

"Uh? what? I'm not tired at all! nuh-uh! totally fine, I tell you. I never felt more yawn awake,I swear!"answered Imoen, a look of panic on her face.

Jaheira looked at the young thief with concern; she could barely keep her eyes open, but insisted she would wait for her sister to return from Ellesime's castle before going to sleep.

"I'm sure Faeryl won't mind if you're asleep when she'll come back, child." tried the druid.

"Don't call me child! I'm an adult as you are, Jaheira! I'm almost twenty-two and an archmage and I'm perfectly able to decide myself what to do, or not."

"So stop acting like a spoiled brat! You're of no use for anyone in your current state and..."

"Can't you just let me be? there's surely someone else for you to bother? so go, find her and please let me alone!" angrily shouted Imoen.

A stunned Jaheira, looked at the young human like a second head had suddenly appeared on her shoulders. Imoen had never shouted at her before. Something was wrong with the girl, realized the half-elf,and she cursed herself for not noticing it before. Jaheira had always felt responsible for the well-being of her two wards, and even more than usual after Spellhold. However, once Irenicus has been defeated and the two girls restored, she had spent most of her time alone in the forest, trying to find once more the harmony she felt she had lost with the death of Khalid. Now she regretted not having paid enough attention to what was going on around her more. A horrified look appeared on Imoen face as she realized what she had just said and to whom. 'I am so dead!' she thought.

"Err... J-Jaheira I'm so sorry I don't know wh-."

"It's okay, Imoen, I'm not angry with you," interrupted the druid,"but I'd like to know why you're insisting on waiting for Your sister. You do know that she is safe, don't you?"

"It's not what's keeping me up, Jah. It's not important, just one of my usual whims, ya know? nothing to be concerned about, hahaha."

"Imoen you're insulting me if you hope getting rid of me so easily."

"Can't blame me for trying, can you?"

"Imoen, please..."

"Okay, I'll tell you, but don't make a fuss about it please. You know how you are: always concerning yourself and making a storm in a teacup about any silliness..."

"Imoen!"

"What?"

"Do you think I don't notice you're trying to confuse the issue?" asked the half-elf, her temper rising in spite of herself. This girl could be so trying when she wanted!

Crossing her arms, she locked her gaze with Imoen's, determined to have her answers. The young human soon looked down, defeated.

"I cannot sleep alone. When I dream, I still feel his knives, I still see his eyes..." she whispered."Since you guys freed me of Spellhold, Faeryl always stayed with me at night. Her presence keeps the nightmares away, most of the time anyway."

"I didn't know you still had nightmares...why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you..." the druid began to say.

"How? neither my nor Faeryl's magic helped and I doubt that yours could have. Besides, we didn't want you to worry about us more that you already did." interrupted the pink headed mage.

"It is my duty to worry about you! I swore to your foster father that I would help you the best I can and as a friend it is even more important to me ."

"Won't you understand? You already had enough troubles dealing with Khalid death and all. We were worried about you! We are not children anymore! and we are your friends too, Jaheira so it's our duty to take care of you as we can!

"Khalid is dead! dead! there's nothing I can do for him now but I can still help you and Faeryl! I cannot fail you as I failed him... I cannot fail those I love again..."

Imoen was shocked by what the druid said. She had never imagined that her friend was feeling like that and she was sure Faeryl didn't know either.

"Jaheira, you didn't fail anyone...there is nothing you could have done to help him. It was not your fault back there and it is not your fault now. Sometimes things just can't be helped; you can't control everything nor help everyone." said quietly Imoen.

"I know that! and I know it is easier to cope with a problem with a friend's help. You two had become the most important persons in my life, you know? I'd like to think that you trust me enough to not hide your suffering from me." retorted the half-elf.

"You should listen to your own advice Jaheira. You may not realize it, but we share your pain even if you try to ignore it."

Jaheira gave her an odd look, mixed of sad surprise, approving and something else.

"You really have grown, have you? I didn't know that you have that in you." half-smiled the druid.

"Yeah, I know I'm great. And cool. And beautiful too. Say it with me: 'Imoen is GREAT!'"

"At least, you haven't grown that much without me noticing it!" Jaheira chuckled.

"Hey! I resent that!" playfully growled the thief.

"Perhaps, if you would, we could help each other?" asked the older woman.

Imoen arched an inquisitive eyebrow.

"How so?"

"You could sleep beside me when Faeryl isn't with you and you could...be there for me when I'd like to talk to someone. What do you think?"

"That would be great, Jaheira." said Imoen gratefully.

"So shall you retire, now if I accompany you?"

"Sure! but..." a frown suddenly appeared on Imoen face, "You didn't have this conversation, with all the emotional stuff, just to get me to go to sleep, did you?"

"Do you really believe I could manipulate the GREAT Imoen like this?" smirked Jaheira.

"Hmm...don't know. You're a Harper after all..." giggled Imoen as Jaheira lightly smacked her behind the head.

The young human ran up the stairs to her room, still giggling, Jaheira following her slower.

"Hurry up, you pointy eared turtle! I don't want to be there when Sola and Phaere come back. She always makes me feel like she'd literally bite my head off...argh! err...hi, Phaere! had you been there for long?"

The sheepish apologies of the pink headed girl were drowned under the vicious flow of drowish imprecations unleashed by the dark elf.

Jaheira slowed her pace a little, chuckling inwardly. 'Pointy eared turtle, uh?'


	4. Ellesime

Chapter 4: Ellesime

Disclaimer: Must I really say it again? I don't own Baldur's Gate 2 nor its characters. Sob.

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"Well," thought Faeryl, once she stood before the doors of Ellesime bedroom, "what I am supposed to do, now?" 

She wasn't quite sure about why she was here, but knew that somehow it was because of Imoen, even if she couldn't really tell how.  
She sighed loudly; she had to learn to control her emotions if she wanted to avoid this kind of situations.  
She knocked at the door, which was opened quickly, by a worried Dermin. The High Priestess seemed agreeably surprised to see the sword dancer there.

"I didn't think you'd come" she said, "but I'm glad you did. You had to speak to the Queen. She's been crying since she ran from your house. I never saw her like that before."

"I can't believe that a simple comment from an almost complete stranger put her in such a state. There must be more than that. Have you an idea of what it could be?"

"Well, she already felt guilty about all this Exiled issue and about being so helpless when her subjects were dying. When she heard your accusations, it may have been the last straw. She's a very proud woman and not used to not being in total control of the situation."

"So she's pouting like a spoiled child, uh? Yeah, I should really have a word with her."

"Faeryl! Can't you show at least a little respect?"

"Hmm...lemme think about it...no, no way."

"You're hopeless, do you know that?" Dermin said, trying to suppress a smirk.

"That's why you love me, isn't it?" retorted the half-drow playfully.

The Priestess' face fell suddenly. Realizing what she'd just said, Faeryl cursed herself for her careless words.

"Oh, my goddess... I didn't mean to...I'm sorry, Dermin, I forgot myself..." pleaded the sword dancer desperately.

"It's alright, Faeryl, I'm fine. It's not your fault if you don't feel the same way I do, there's no need for apologies between us. Besides, you were right; I love you because you are who you are." reassured Dermin, managing to smile weakly.

"Dermin, I..."

"You should go speak to thr Queen, now. I...I have to return to my temple." the priestess of Rillifane interrupted.

Not waiting for an answer, she left quickly, but not before the half-drow could see her eyes shining with the tears she refused to shed.  
Faeryl leaned heavily against the wall, sighing again.

"Why must I make every elven female I speak with, cry? it has to be some sort of curse or something like that..."

Pushing back the thought, she entered the queen of Suldanesselar's bedroom; she had to deal with Ellesime first, she would think about Dermin later.  
Looking around her, she took a sharp breath in surprise: during a moment it seemed she was back in Irenicus dungeon. Ellesime bedroom was almost identical to the room that the mad mage had reproduced in his god-forgotten den.  
Focusing her mind, Faeryl walked toward the sumptuous bed where Ellesime was sobbing softly. She didn't notice the drothir until she sat on the bed near her.  
Startled, the queen looked up and found herself gazing into Faeryl bright yellow eyes.

"You really don't look fine. Care to explain what's the matter?" asked softly the drothir.

At first, Ellesime didn't answer, simply looking at the sword dancer with a surprised expression on her face.

"What are you doing here? I thought you would have thought you wouldn't have anything to do with me, after what you said earlier." asked the queen.

"I am sorry you heard what I said to my friend back in our house. I didn't mean to hurt you. I wouldn't have said what I said if I knew you were here. I was just angry because of what you said about Phaere and Solaufein. Viconia already left because of the intolerance of your subjects. It's always hard to see a friend, leaving. " said Faeryl.

"They were just afraid. It is hard for them to trust a drow after the war."

"And a half-drow too, I know. It's not like we saved your city or anything...well, anyway that's not why I came for. I just wanted to apologize for hurting your feelings."

"But you won't apologize for what you said?"

"No, I won't. I can apologize for hurting you, but not for saying what I think. I do know that it don't seem fair to you, but I thought every word I said, you cannot resent me for that, can you?"

"I do not resent you. I... I think that you were right. I could have ended all this before it even began. However I couldn't just do that; Joneleth... I had to give him a chance, do you understand? I couldn't just forget all that he once was, all that we had...he could have redeemed himself. As the queen of this city, I had to punish him as harshly as his crime deserved it, but as a woman I wanted to believe that he could return to me."

"It was stupid. He was a monster and without his spirit how could he become better? Do you have an idea of what it is like? I do. It would have been less cruel to end his life quickly."

Ellesime smiled sadly.

"You've never been in love, haven't you?"

"No I've not. And if it could have meant that I'd do something that stupid, I'm glad I haven't." retorted the drothir.

"But you could have understood my hopes and the conflict in my heart, as foolish as they seemed."

"What a feeble justification. You're the one talking of understanding? Do YOU understand what we had been through, my friends and I, because of your 'hopes', waela valsharess?"

"I...I know I don't, b-but..." stuttered the queen.

"Perhaps you had some good moments with Irenicus, but for me, do you think they're worth my friends' deaths or my and my sister's tortures? I suppose that his touch was more pleasant to you that it had been to us, uh?"

"What can I do? I cannot erase what happened or It would have been done already! What can I do so that you'll forgive me?"

"You may not think I understand you Ellesime, but I do. My forgiveness is not what you seek. You barely know me, I'm nothing to you or little more. What you need is to forgive yourself. You feel guilty because you didn't suffer directly, while you thought that all of this was your fault. But in the other hand, you cannot quite admit your responsibility, because it would mean that you put your feelings before your duty as a queen, am I right?"

"No! I mean... yes, perhaps... but you are not nothing to me. I...I meant you and your friends saved me and my people, despite all the grievances you had against me. I do want your forgiveness."

"Well here there's one thing you can do which can help both of us to get past our...grievances."

"Wha-what would you want of me?"

"The same thing that you want. I want you to know what I had to endure, what I have suffered. What do you say? "

"How am I supposed to do that?" asked the elven queen with a shaking voice.

"Share my reverie tonight. Experiment what I have to, every time I try to rest like an elf. If you can take it, I'll forgive you."

"I will do it." answered Ellesime resolutely, "It's the least I can do if you had to bear this because of me."


	5. Reverie

CHAPTER 5: Reverie

Disclaimer: I don't own BG2. Really.

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In her small iron cage, the captive waited. Soon she knew, the mage would be back and the pain with him. She wasn't afraid; the mage and the pain were unpleasant but they were everything she had. Sometimes she could almost remember a time when there had been something else, someone else, but it was just an odd impression. Her world was filth, darkness and loneliness, the wizard was the only presence she knew, the only one she wanted to know. Sometimes when he wasn't there, she recalled voices, a voice she hated who shouted in her head that she was insane, that she should resist and fight the wizard, and others, beloved voices who pained her more that anything the mage did to her because she knew she could never hear them again and it was her fault. So she waited for the mage and the pain to come and take the memories away. She wondered what he would do this time. Last time it had been the knives, and the time before she had to fight some little bearded men. She hoped that he would make her fight. Killing was the only pleasure she knew, the filling of flesh tearing under her teeth, of bone shattering under her fists and the sweet, sweet blood flowing in her mouth.

"It's wrong" said the voice in her head,"You are not a beast! Remember who you are! Don't let him win! Remember!"

But she didn't want to remember. She didn't want to think. She just wanted to kill and forget everything else, because everything else was pain, because memory was pain.

"Coward!"shouted the voice "Will you just live like this the rest of your life? Your friends need you if they are alive! You must fight!"

Snarling in anger, the captive leaped on her feet, hitting her cage's bars. Why wasn't the mage here already? She needed the voice to quiet, as it always did when the wizard was here .  
"He is your enemy! It is him you must hate! Him!"

No! The wizard took the memories away. The wizard was her only protection against them.  
Suddenly she could hear someone walking toward her. At last he had come, but this time something was different. The wizard wasn't alone. Behind him, dragged by a big creature made of clay, was another creature, a female with pink hair who was struggling, trying to get free of the monster's grip on her. When the creature noticed the captive, her eyes opened wide and she stopped kicking and trashing.

"Faeryl?" she said disbelief in her voice, "Faeryl is this really you? Faeryl! Oh, what has he done to you?"

The captive moved back, staggering like she had been hit. The creature talked with one of the voice of her memory! For the first time, she could recall, the captive felt fear crawling under her skin.

"She doesn't recognize you, I fear." said the mage to the pink haired one. "Her mind is totally broken. She has been like this for more than two weeks now. Since I tortured you to death before her, in fact."

"What! But you didn't... I'm alive! Faeryl! It's me, Imoen, your little sister! Please, Faeryl remember! I am alive! He didn't kill me!"

"Be silent! I didn't take you there to remind her of you. She is almost ready, her power almost unlocked. We are here for you. You still resist to the darkness inside but with a little help from your dear sister I think that you will come to accept what is part of you."

"You monster! What are you babbling about? She would never help you! Never!"

"We shall see Imoen, we shall see. You, put her in the cage with the half-drow. This should prove...interesting."

Obeying his master, the golem opened the cage and threw the pink head inside.  
Faeryl growled, ready to strike. That was something she was familiar with, now. When a creature entered the cage, she had to kill it.  
The voice in her head seemed more frantic than ever, but it was entirely drowned by the blood lust.  
Very slowly, she began to close toward her prey. Words came to her lips, words long forgotten, but so deeply engraved inside her that they were coming spontaneously to her.

"Bhaal awaits thee, Bhaal embraces thee, none escape Bhaal."

Suddenly she pounced on the prey, quickly wrestling her to the ground, then putting her hands on the creature's throat, she began to squeeze.  
The pink haired one gasped for hair. A brief instant, the look of fear Faeryl was accustomed from her preys showed on the creature face, but it almost instantly disappeared, replaced by expressions she didn't know, but which moved something in her. Her head began to hurt. She crawled away, her hands clutching her temples. The memories were coming! Panic filled her. What was this creature able to call the only thing she feared with a mere look?

"Faeryl?" asked softly the pink head, rubbing her sore throat, "are you okay?"

Faeryl, sank to the floor, still clutching her head. Pictures flowed through her mind, voices, scenes of a life long gone. Two little girls,a human with pink hair and a little elf with a blue-grey skin running in an old room with books everywhere, while an old looking man was chasing them with a mock disapproving look on his face; A pink haired girl throwing a pillow at her; A pink haired girl giggling, combing her hair, hugging her, crying with her...Dying before her.  
An anguished scream escaped Faeryl's lips. The human girl ran by her side, taking her in a tight embrace.

"Imoen..." sobbed Faeryl, tears soaking her cheeks, "Imoen you're alive..."

"Of course I am, you dumb! Do you think that you could get read of me so easily?" half laughed, half cried her sister.

"I saw him...I saw him kill you...and what he did to you before was so horrible that it was almost a relief. I could do nothing...I couldn't help you! You were crying to me to save you, that you were here because of me, but I couldn't help you." whispered Faeryl.

"It's a lie, Faeryl, it is all lies! I am alive and everything is HIS fault, not yours. Don't let him win, lil' sister, I know you're stronger than that."

"Enough!" snapped the mage behind Imoen. "You" he said addressing the golem, "take the human out of the cage. The experiment seemed to be a failure, this time."

"No!" shouted the elf, "I won't let you take her from me again!"

"Oh, but I will! And like the first time, there is nothing that you can do about that, bhaalspawn!"

The golem caught Imoen arm completely oblivious of the girl struggle, and when the half drow attacked it, it just slapped her away. The hit was so powerful that the elf crumbled to the floor, quickly loosing consciousness. The last thing she heard before passing out was the voice of her sister calling her name.

In her big bedroom in the Suldanesselar royal palace, Queen Ellesime woke up screaming in horror and sorrow. Near her, Faeryl was still deep in reverie, moaning seemingly in pain.

"Faeryl? Faeryl, please wake up! Wake up damn you!"

The drothir's eyes snapped open, her look wild with fear and anger, until she saw the elven queen near her.  
At this instant half a dozen armed guard entered the room, swords drawn, searching for the cause of the screams they heard.

"Is something wrong, Majesty?" asked one of the guards, eyeing the sword dancer suspiciously.

"No, thank you. Everything is alright, you can all return to your duties, I think."

"But my queen, we heard-"

"It was an order, guard."

The elf bowed in apology and with the others quickly exited the room, closing the door behind them.  
Sighing, Ellesime sat in front of the young drothir, who looked at her expectantly.

"So," began Faeryl, "how did you like this little piece of my memory"  
"That was awful! After seeing this I...I can understand why you hate me so much. There is no word strong enough to say how sorry I am that you and your friends had to endure this. I couldn't imagine that he would fall so low, that he would become such a fiend..."

"Please, just stop it. Your apologies won't do any good. " said the drothir. Then, noticing the look on Ellesime face she laughed. "Don't take me wrong Ellesime, I just wanted to say that there wasn't a need for apologies now that you had proven that you were strong enough to assume the responsibility of what you partly caused. I didn't mean to insult you, so no need for a show of gold elven pride either."

"You really haven't any respect for the queen of Suldanesselar, have you?" sighed Ellesime.

"Nope. However, now I think I begin to respect the woman under the crown a little."


	6. Budding friendship or not

CHAPTER 6: Budding friendship...or not

Disclaimer: I don't own BG2. Too bad.

* * *

"Doeb d'ussta colbauth, darthiir!" snarled Phaere to the gold elf in front of her, "out of my way!"

"These are sad days when your dark kin are allowed to walk freely in the fair Suldanesselar!" spat the elf.

"Oh? But tell me jaluk, what do you intend to do about that? Bore me to death with your pitiful whining? Or perhaps are you going to cry in your queen's skirt?"

"You filthy drow! How dare you speak of queen Ellesime in this way!" shouted the elf, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Please, just try it elf, perhaps will I keep your empty skull to make cup of it" said the drow with a malevolent smile.

"Die!" roared the elf, drawing his weapon.

Before he could attack however, a bright light engulfed him letting him totally unable to move.

"A-are you alright? P-perhaps should I have intervened sooner, b-but I didn't think that he would really attack..." said Aerie leaving the shadow where she had been watching the scene.

"Who asked for your help darthiir? The day I wouldn't be able to deal with such a pathetic fool of a male on my own, I would indeed deserve my death!" snapped Phaere.

"I just th-thought it would be b-best if this quarrel could be ended without v-violence!" protested the blonde elf.

"Pshaw! As if these babbling wael could understand anything else! Learn this avariel, the enemy that you let live now is the one who will kill you later."

"But he is not an enemy! I think he's aggressive because he's afraid, that's all. I-if we show him that we mean him no harm, he shouldn't be scared of you anymore."

Open mouthed and wide eyed, Phaere looked at Aerie in clear disbelief.

"You're not serious, are you" finally asked the drow, "you can't have survived so long, being so naive! This male wasn't afraid, even if he should have been. All he was seeing, is an unarmed drow he could safely attack. Besides, he's visibly a noble, so he wouldn't have done it if he thought he risked a punishment for his act. He probably thought he could gain some prestige, killing one of the 'filthy drow' who dare walk openly in his city."

"But that would be an evil thing! Elves aren't like that!"

"No? I suppose that this sort of comportment is reserved to the drows, isn't it? Believe me jalil, history have proven that elven nobles are as vicious and treacherous as any drow can be, especially gold elves like this one."

"Y-you can't compare the gold elves and the drows!" protested Aerie, "I've been to Ust Natha, this hadn't anything in common with Suldanesselar! And I've never heard of a gold elf plotting the death of her own mother like...oh. I-I'm sorry Phaere I didn't mean to offend you..."

Phaere smirked.

"Really, wingless one? I think you did, even if you don't want to admit it to yourself. However it's pleasing to see you show some backbone at last. I was beginning to think that you were just some stuttering simpleton that Faeryl was tolerating out of charity..."

"That was r-really mean of you to say, Phaere! You don't have to be so bad all the time you know? Solaufein is n-never so aggressive, that's why even Suldanesselar elves like him while they just fear you!"

Phaere smile widened.

"Oh, I'm sure that YOU like him, avariel. I have seen you look at him, your lust is so obvious that it is almost indecent..."

"I did nothing like that!"

"So why I is your face suddenly as red as a Thayvian mage's robe?" laughed the former priestess of Lolth.

"I-I don't want to talk to you? Leave me alone!"

"Don't be such a baby! It was just a joke! When I will want to hurt you, believe me you'll know it. Look, I'll let you have him for one night if you want."

"How can you talk like that? He's your lover and you would give him to me without even ask him?"

"So you agree to have him?"

"I didn't say that!" exclaimed Aerie blushing furiously.

Phaere was laughing so hard that she had to lean on a wall to keep on her feet.

"This is not funny!" shouted the avariel, "You...you act like Imoen!"

"I resent that! I am nothing like that pink haired chipmunk! Besides she's your friend, isn't she? "

"I'm l-leaving! I have nothing to say t-to you anymore!" said the blonde elf, her chin lifted haughtily.

"I don't think so, wingless one. I rather enjoy our little sparring. I think that from now we will spend a lot of time together. It should be fun to strip you of that innocence of yours."

"Goodbye, Phaere" answered Aerie beginning to walk away.

"One more step avariel and I kill the elf where he stands." threatened the drow.

"Y-you wouldn't do that!"

"Why not? I am drow. And that scum tried to kill me."

"But he is defenseless!"

"What better moment to kill a foe than when he is weak and helpless?" asked Phaere, puzzled.

"O-okay then. What do you want from me, now?"

"That's a good girl. First I'll warn you that next time you turn your back on me while I'm talking to you, I'll stab you. And now tell me, that big human of yours, is he so bad a lover that you have to look after other males?" taunted the drow with a wicked smile.

"M-Minsc is NOT my lover! And that is not of your concern anyway!" retorted the avariel, once more deeply flushed." You know Phaere" she said suddenly, "Faeryl told me once that if Viconia was so mean to everybody, it was because everybody had been mean to her too and that it was the only way she knew to interact with p-people."

"And what is the point of this, please?" asked the former priestess with a frown.

"Well, I was thinking that p-perhaps, in that m-mean and wicked way of yours, you just wanted to befriend me."

"To befriend...you? What could have given you such a strange idea?"

"You are always so lonely. Solaufein spends m-more time with Faeryl at the new shrine of Eilistraee than with you and you have no one else to talk with apart from them. And your behavior just now. F-first, you try to offer me your lover, then you try to act like Imoen, reminding me that she's my friend. It was n-not very subtle, you know."

"It seems that you are not as naive as you let everybody think, avariel" whispered Phaere.

"Does that m-mean I'm right?"

"Yes, I suppose you are. I would like to be your...friend if you would be mine." answered Phaere as if each word was painfully forced out of her mouth."

"I would like t-to be your friend as well Phaere."

"So, is that all? Is it that easy to become friends with someone?"

"Well, n-not exactly. We will have to set rule to that friendship I think." giggled Aerie.

"Rules? What sorts of rules?" asked the drow warily.

"I think I already have a list. One, no backstabbing, two..."

Phaere sighed wearily; what had she gotten herself into?


	7. Of Thiefs, Hamsters and Drows

CHAPTER 7: Of Thiefs, Hamsters and Drows

Disclaimer: I don't own BG2. Yet.

* * *

Moving stealthily in the shadow of the elven forest, the thief was slowly closing on this prey. He had chased it for month now, never releasing his attention, waiting for the perfect occasion to strike. This occasion had finally come. He was one of the most feared creatures currently living in the whole area, the mere sound of his voice could send even the most valorous elven warrior fleeing. A wicked grin playing on his face, he observed the big human warrior who usually carried his target, locked in a ferocious duel with a drow warrior. The target was usually kept in the human's armor, but the big man hadn't encumbered himself with the red dragon plate he usually wore, so the thief's objective had been left on the forest floor, near the left-over of a picnic. Unfortunately, he would have to leave the cover of the tree and advance into the clearing, to complete his task. Muttering a brief spell of invisibility, he stepped lightly into the clearing, carefully avoiding the plates and bottles discarded on the ground, his eyes never leaving the small form of his prey.  
He grinned madly as he seized his prize, but the said prize who had apparently divergent ideas about his future began to squeak indignantly, trying to break free of the thief's hands.  
"Who dare to lay hands on Boo?" roared a very angry Minsc,"there will be a mighty butt-kicking!"

Letting escape a startled gasp, the invisible thief began to escape. However he had forgotten to include the drow in his plans.  
The dark elf murmured a few words and suddenly, the thief was visible again.

"Jan! You horrible little gnome! When I catch you, you will face the unstoppable fury of the hamster!"

"If you catch me Minscy!" giggled the gnome, "nobody can catch up with a Jansen on the run!"

Three steps later, he took his feet in a tree root and sprawled on the ground. Before the gnome could get up, the fuming ranger was upon him.

"Err...Hey, Minscy! How did you find my...err...little jest? Almost as much fun as the day when my cousin Dora tried to steal those griffin's eggs under the very nose of the mother. Seems that the she-griffin lacked a sense of humor, because she wouldn't let Dora out of the nest until the cubs hatched, so she could feed them the poor gnome. Fortunately, she was the first thing the little griffins saw, so they took her for their mother and..."

"Aargh! Enough, gnome! You will hand me Boo back at once! Boo is a mighty Hamster warrior, NOT a pet for a nasty gnome to keep!"

Lifting the little thief off the ground, the berserker picked his hamster friend from him.

"Minsc, my friend! You wound me deeply with those accusations! How could you think that I could want to do such a thing? I just wanted to take him to a little tour in the forest! You know how it is, fighting evil greedy squirrels, kissing trees, saving fawn's mothers of ugly hunters..."

"Are you trying to trick me gnome? You may speak like a goodly hero but Boo see right through your clever words! You just wanted to steal him!"

"I don't understand, gnome" intervened Solaufein,"Why would you risk the anger of your friend just to steal Boo? Is he so precious a creature? Can he grant you power or something?"

"That's just because he's a very, very naughty little man! My poor Boo has been traumatized! See how his mustaches are shaking!" muttered Minsc.

"Well, Sola, I didn't steal Boo. But if I had, it surely would have been motivated by an irrepressible curiosity, a noble sense of adventure, the thrilling call of a worthwhile challenge! But this is purely theoretical, of course."

"I...I see." said the drow who obviously didn't understand at all.

"Boo think that the gnome just hasn't realized yet that he is no longer a child." commented the ranger while petting a very upset Boo.

"Ah. This would explain a certain number of things I didn't understand about him" nodded Solaufein.

"Now I am really upset! It's true that I still have a child's soul, but any little Jansen could tell you a story or two about the great wisdom of the old Jan! In fact I have such a story coming in mind just now: It was when uncle Spanky tried to install a griffin farm in the turnip garden of Ma Jansen..."

"I think that you had already told us this story, Jan" hastily told the drow warrior,"several times, in fact."

"Really? Then, how about this time when me and Uncle Gerhart went in the underdark to..."

"You've told us this one as well, my friend."

"Oh? And how about..."

"This one too, Jan."

"Aha! You fell in my trap! I just imagined this one!"

"Really? And I thought you were an honest gnome just relating veracious stories! I'm sorely disappointed, Jan. I will never be able to hear these fascinating stories of yours with the same pleasure as before. So I think that from now on I just won't listen to them anymore..."said Solaufein gravely.

"That was really sly Sola" muttered the gnome with a dirty look,"you are a bad, bad drow!"

A sudden light came to Jan's eyes as he spoke these words and a large smile appeared on his face.

"But tell me, Sola, if you will no longer listen to my stories, you'll have more time to spend with Phaere, Aerie and Imoen! Shall I go announce them this wonderful new? I think that Phaere and Imoen should be delighted to be able to spend more time with their favorite...victim. And I cannot wait to see Aerie's cheeks burning each time you'll look her way..."

A panicked look crossed the drow's face as Jan spoke.

"Ah...I think that perhaps I spoke too lightly, my friend. Speaking to the females shouldn't be necessary. I really wouldn't be deprived of your...great wisdom so generously offered."

"I wasn't serious you know? But you seem a little...afraid. They're not that bad, are they? I mean, Phaere IS evil but Aerie and Imoen aren't that bad...although Imoen can be quite a little devil when she feels like it. But Aerie is a nice girl, isn't she? Well I suppose that having her blushing like a setting sun each time you talk to her can be a little annoying, but it's rather cute, isn't it?"answered the gnome.

"It's not that I don't like them. Imoen and Aerie have been very good to me, more than I would have thought possible, some months ago. The problem...the problem is Phaere."

"Why? I thought you were back together?" said the gnome, suddenly serious.

"Well, we are, but it's complicated." stated the warrior.

"Why don't you tell us? We're your friends too, you know? Between Boo and myself, I'm pretty sure we can help you out of any sort of trouble! Am I not right, Minscy?"

"Boo is uncertain concerning the help you may offer Jan, but he says that every problem has a solution and that it's easier to find it with the help of friends!"

A long moment, the dark elven warrior looked at the two improbable creatures he had come to call his friends, a good-natured if somewhat simple human ranger, his wise miniature space giant hamster (whatever that might mean) and a surface gnome. What they offered to him was more than he had ever hoped from any member of his own species. His own, true friends.

"The fact is" began the drow,"that I love Phaere, but being with her, near her... I cannot cease to think about what she had to endure because of me. I have fought eyes-tyrants, Illithids and other drows and never I have fled from a battle. But before Phaere, I flee. It is not her that I flee but my own guilt. I can't look at her face, see the hardness in her gaze, without remember that it is there by my fault, because I couldn't do what I should have done to save her."

"What do you mean?" asked Jan with a frown.

"It is difficult to understand if you don't know of certain...customs of the drows. When a priestess of the Spider Queen become too fond of a male, she has to kill him in a cruel sacrifice to Lolth. The Spider Queen is a jealous goddess, and she finds outrageous to share one of her clergy with a lowly male. When Phaere's affection to me was discovered, she should have sacrificed me to her goddess, but because I belonged to another powerful house, she couldn't do it without starting a feud between our two Houses. At first I thought we should flee together, but where could we have gone? The only solution would have been to slay Ardulace, Phaere's mother before she could talk to the Handmaiden. But then, the Despana heir who was then one of Phaere's sisters would have seized the pretext to have me killed, starting a war the same way my sacrifice by Phaere would have. I...didn't want to be responsible of one those genocidal campaign so common among the drows. I would have broken me and Phaere knew it. So she convinced me that it was better that she just accept her punishment, that she was strong enough...I wanted to believe her. I wanted to, even as I knew that nobody was this strong. So I did nothing. And when she returned...She wasn't the same. Her eyes, her beautiful, tender eyes had become a pure reflection of the Abyss. Because of my cowardice."

The gnome and the human exchanged a quick glance. Then Jan kicked Solaufein's shin.

"Aw! Why did you do that?" shouted the drow indignantly.

"Boo thinks that our friend Solaufein is being arrogant, egoist and rather stupid. And Boo is often right in such matters."

"What do you mean?" asked a puzzled dark elf.

"What our rodent friend is trying to tell you is that by transforming the heroic sacrifice that Phaere made on your behalf, into a failure of your part, you are doing her much wrong, you just ignore what is one of the most beautiful act of love I have heard of, And change it into your own deed, so cowardly you might find it. This was not your cowardice; it was her courage, her choice and her sacrifice. You should not feel guilty, immensely grateful. Besides, she would probably kill you if she heard you say that she's got a bad taste enough to love a coward!"

"I...I didn't see it that way." whispered the warrior.

Suddenly, he felt lighter, and more at peace that he had in decades. It seemed so evident now! How could have he been so self-centered? So Ungrateful?

"Boo thinks that our goodly drow friend seem to have understood, now. I suggest that good Solaufein goes to his lady, now." said the big ranger.

"It is a good time for an apology, I think. Phaere usually like to receive apologies and this one will be more than deserved." nodded the drow.

With a quick salute to his friend, the drow muttered a few arcane words and disappeared into thin air.

Minsc then turned toward the gnome.

"Now," he began," there is always the matter of the righteous punishment for the abduction of Boo...Jan? Jan? Where are you?"


	8. Conquest

Chapter 8: Conquest

Disclaimer: I don't own BG 2, but who knows? Perhaps one day...

* * *

It was a lovely night. The stars glittered, the temperature was perfect, the moon was full and bright.  
Despite all this, Demin, High priestess of Rillifane Rallathil couldn't feel the peace and contentment she usually felt in these conditions.  
Sitting against the wide trunk of an old oak,she watched Faeryl Jaelre, Savior of Suldanesselar teaching how to dance to her new Eilitraeean converts in a clearing nearby. She had been there for hours, her eyes never leaving the naked, voluptuous form of the elf who haunted her every dream.  
The priestess sighed; for weeks she's been trying to draw the attention of the half-drow, to no avail. Yet she would not give up, she had felt, almost from the start that Faeryl was meant for her, she had felt a stronger connection to her through the elven spirit than to any other of the People and recognized what it meant: the drothir was her spirit mate. It had taken her weeks to come to term with that, slowly acknowledging her growing feelings for the sword dancer.  
The problem -because there had to be a problem, hadn't it?- was that the drothir wouldn't even envisage the possibility of a relationship between them.  
A light sound behind her startled the elf out of her thoughts; her reflexes immediately kicked in, she leapt on her feet and drew a dagger, ready to face whatever tried to sneak on her...

"Hey, it's me Imoen! How are ya doing, Dee?"

Demin sighed heavily, watching the young thief followed by her friends Aerie and Phaere, settle down near her.

"Hello Imoen. I'm fine, thank you. What are you three doing here? I thought you said you didn't like watching the Eilistraeeans dancing."

"I never said that. Just that I had other things to do than watch Fae dancing around."

"I-I just think that they sh-should put some c-clothes on, perhaps..."

"I've no interest in the rituals of a dancing goddess, darthiir."

"Then why are you here?"

Not answering at once, Imoen watched the moonclad elves spinning and leaping in the clearing. Then, grinning wickedly she faced the elven priestess.

"Ogling my sister again, are ya? That's pretty naughty of ya, didn't think you elves did that sort of things!"

"I-Imoen!" exclaimed the avariel, while the drow exploded in laughter as Demin blushed furiously.

"What? Have to watch for my sis'! Who know what kind of perv' might stalk her in the night, with all sorts of impure thoughts in mind..."

Demin blushed so much that to Aerie's and Phaere's infravision she was almost shining in the night. The drow laughed so hard that she fell on her knees.

"That...face...is priceless...darthir! That such a light teasing could be so embarrassing to you...you're almost as bad as the avariel!"

"Well it's j-just that we have s-some measure of decency, Phaere!"

The drow just laughed harder.

"Anyway, we were just searching for Solaufein. He escaped us some hours ago and we thought that perhaps he went dancing with Fae again."

"I didn't see him around here. He may have known that you would come searching for him here. You really should let the poor man alone, he's beginning to have lines since you three became such great friends." said the high priestess.

"That's all Phaere fault! She said she has a lot of time to catch up with, so she doesn't let him sleep -or whatever you elves do- very much."

"He never complained," smirked the drow.

"You wouldn't have listened to him anyway, so..." pointed Imoen.

"You surfacers give too much importance to the opinions of your males."

"And ya, watcha doing here? Apart spying on my poor defenseless sister I mean"  
"I was just... thinking." answered Demin, sitting back on the soft grass.

"You really like her, don't you?" asked the young thief suddenly serious.

"I don't like her. I love her. However it seems that she doesn't even notice me." sadly answered Demin.

"That's no wonder, if you whine like that around her. No drow would even think to mate with such a pitiful weakling!"

"Ph-Phaere! That r-really wasn't a nice thing to say!"

"Who said that I was a nice person? However, my statement is true nonetheless."

"Oh, b-be quiet Phaere! Everybody knows that you're not half as evil as you want us to think!"

"You do realize that now, I'll have to torture you to death to preserve my reputation, don't you?"

"Hmm, gals? We were talking about Dee and my sister, remember?" reminded Imoen.

"Well, in fact I don't think that you should concern yourselves with my love life. I'm sure I'll be able to deal with everything eventually..."

"Nonsense! We are friends, we're here to help! Beside, we don't have anything else to do right now that to meddle with your love life"  
Demin sighed again; it had been such a quiet night...

Imoen got closer to the high priestess and put an arm around her shoulders. Probably so she couldn't flee, thought Demin.

"Y'know If ya like, I could give ya some tips about how get closer to Fae. But if it's not of interest for ya..."

"Perhaps I could use a bit of advice..."

"That's such an understatement..." sniggered Phaere.

Demin glared at the drow, which only added to Phaere mirth.

"Oh shuddup Phaere! There's people trying to work here!" then, turning toward the priestess of Rillifane:

"So what d' ya say?"

"Well, I don't think that even you could make things worst than they are ,so...I accept your help."

"Good choice, I swear that ya won't regret it. So, first, ya'll have to know the primary rules. That's the most important thing about Fae. They could save your life later, so don't forget about them."

"Rules? What are you talking about?"

"Just listen. You'll ask your question later. Phaere, listen too, that could serve ya as well."

The pink haired mage cleared her throat, straightened herself and took her most monk-like tone:

"First Rule: Never hurt or threaten her, her friends or those she feels responsible for. She usually tears apart those stupid enough to do that. Remember Irenicus' corpse? Brr.  
Second Rule: Don't talk about her mother. Bad memories. She' ll warn ya once, then she'll chop off one limb, unless she really, really feels safe around ya.  
Third Rule: Don't touch her swords, cuz' they're a gift from her goddess. She won't do anything but those things actually bite. I have a scar to prove it.  
Fourth and last primary rule: Never forbid anything to her. She'll do it just to show you who is the boss. Unless it's a stupid thing, of course."

Imoen stopped a moment to catch her breath, looked at the three elves to be sure they listened, then resumed talking.

"Now, I'll give ya a few tips on what she likes with her boyfriends. Ya're not a boy but that should not be too different."

"Now, THAT was mean," chuckled Phaere.

Imoen shot the drow a nasty glare and went on:

"She likes strong-willed, bold, passionate people. She is rather possessive, so if she ever see you just glancing at someone else the wrong way, it's over. Hmm, what else? Ah, yes! She likes people who state clearly what they want and do all they can to get it, if you get my meaning. And she likes to feel that's she's important to those she's close of. I think that's the most important. Any questions?"

Demin didn't reply for a while, just watching Faeryl dancing with a wild elf lad and wishing it was her whirling and spinning with the drothir.

"I have only one question" she said finally,"do you think she could like me? Or even love me?" there was a desperate edge in her voice.  
Imoen smiled and smacked her lightly behind, the head.

"She already likes ya, silly! Or she would have said that she didn't. In no uncertain terms, loudly, several times and in public. She just wants ya to show that ya really want her. Ya' re probably not aggressive enough for her tastes in fact. I mean, all she knows of amorous relationships she learned it from Viconia. And Viccy has never been very subtle when she wanted a...partner"  
"So I should be passionate, bold, direct and aggressive?"

"Uh-uh. Well watcha still doing here?"

Demin smiled brightly to the human, squeezing one of her hand between hers.

"You're right. It won't do me any good to stay hidden here. I'm going to talk to her."

Leaping on her feet, the elven priestess walked toward the clearing with as much confidence as she could muster.

Under the old oak, the dim starlight played on the huge grin which threatened to split Imoen's head in two.

"Now," she said,"that should be fun!"

"I-Imoen! Y-you're so bad! F-Faeryl doesn't like people to be aggressive at all! Why did you tell her that?"

"Bah, I know that Fae like her, but she's just afraid of it. I know she'll never admit it, so Dee will have to help her a little, that's all!"

"Just shut up, you noisy morons! I'm watching!"

In the clearing, Faeryl interrupted her dance when she saw Demin heading toward her. The elf seemed somewhat...different from her usual self. Wondering what the Hells was going on, the sword dancer watched the high priestess walks toward her a look of sheer determination on her face. The elven Eilistraeeans saw the high priestess too and exchanging knowing smiles, one by one, they left the clearing, silently fading into the night.  
For a moment Faeryl wanted to call them back but she that it wouldn't stop Demin. This woman was so stubborn! Couldn't she understand that for her own good, she had to stay away from her?  
As the copper elf reached her, Faeryl was ready for the inevitable discussion ahead, but not for what happened then.  
Without a word, Demin embraced the drothir tightly and kissed her.  
It wasn't her first kiss and by far, but never before it had felt so...right. The heart racing, she melt into the kiss, instantly forgetting what she was about to say, surrendering to the warm, new feeling that was awakening into her, surrendering.  
No. Faeryl Jaelre didn't surrender to anything, to anyone. Never. Breaking the kiss, she moved apart from Demin, her heart pounding wildly, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Calm down, she thought, it was just a kiss. I've done that before. Nothing to feel so strongly about. Dammit, why are my knees so weak?

"Did you find that so unpleasant?" asked Demin. "Do I disgust you this much?"

"No! It's not like that! You just surprised me. I really don't like not to be the one in control. Nevertheless, Demin, we already talked about...about us. It cannot be. I don't even understand why you would want to be with me. You know what I am. You saw what befell to those who traveled with me. I bring pain and death to everyone around me. Irenicus is dead but how many others hide in the shadows, waiting the perfect time to strike? I couldn't protect them, then and I won't be able to protect you, perhaps not even from myself. Don't you understand? This story won't have a happy ending, there is only death in my future. I cannot allow myself to fall in love with someone who is likely to die at the first serious threat."

"Protect me?" Demin voice was a growl, now. "Who asked for your protection? Do you think that I'm coward? Do you think I'm weak?"

"Frankly? Yes. You are weak. Don't you remember how we met? I killed those rakshasas, not you." Faeryl voice was cold, her words harsh. Nevertheless it needed to be said. Even if the elf hated after afterwards. She didn't realize that she was shaking.

At first, Demin didn't talk. She was shaking too, but the expression on her face was one of pure outrage. Then with stunning quickness she slapped the half-drow and, before the drothir could react, the priestess kissed her again.

"I may love you, but I won't allow you to insult me. I am nor weak nor fearful, I'm High Priestess of the Leaflord and advisor to the Queen. I am as able to defend myself as any of your companion. Of us both, you are the coward; and you are too arrogant to even admit that it's you who are afraid of losing someone you care for."

Anger flared briefly in Faeryl's mind. However she was honest enough to concede that the priestess was right. She did fear to lose someone she loved again; what was wrong with that?

"Even in this case, that doesn't make what I said earlier untrue. My fears are founded."

"So you really think that I'm weak?" asked Demin in a low voice, "Will I need to fight you to convince you, that I'm not?"

"Are you serious? I could defeat your entire army all by myself and you would dare to confront me in battle?"

"Such arrogance...But still you avoid to answer. Are you afraid to lose to me?"

"I refuse. I don't fight, I just kill. However, if you want a challenge, how about a race? If you catch me I may give you a chance. If you don't, you'll forget me. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Then get these clothes off and get ready to eat my dust!"

Under the tree's cover, Imoen, Aerie and Phaere watched the scene with mixed feelings about what they saw.

"And I thought that Faeryl was better than you...Obviously I was wrong: she's as stupid as any of you. It has to be her darthir blood's influence. Why can't she just bed the elf and be done with it?"

"She's just a little insecure,"explained Imoen, "she cannot live all her life keeping everybody at harm length, by fear of getting them hurt! It was wrong of her to deny to Dee the chance simply to choose if she wanted to take the risk or not. Now, all I have to do is to cast a simple little spell to help Dee to win this race..."

"B-but wouldn't that be cheating?"

"What's your point?" asked the human, puzzled. Shrugging, she turned back toward the clearing and quickly cast a haste spell on Demin.

"Y-you are a bad, bad girl, do you know that, Imoen?"

"Yup! Wanna see just how bad I am? My room's always open to ya Hon!" giggled the thief, winking at Aerie.

The deep blush on the avariel's face, sent Phaere in a new fit of laughter.

Faeryl was running faster than she had ever ran in her life. However, as impossible as it seemed, Demin ran faster. The priestess toyed with her, she could have caught her since the beginning of the race, but the elf just ran around her, incredibly fast and laughing at her.  
If Demin had been a mage, she would have suspected her of using a haste spell, but Demin couldn't cast any mage's spell. Perhaps was it some prank of a sylvan spirit? A prank...A dry chuckle escaped her lips; she was so going to kill Imoen.  
She was tired, now. The game was almost over and she was about to lose. She realized that she didn't really mind. She has been alone so long...would it be so bad to date the priestess? She had never dated a girl before, but she should have more in common with her than with some random guy, right? Plus she really liked Demin. She was beautiful, calm, patient, kind, smart and she loved her. What more could she ask for? Faeryl stumbled, nearly falling, but never stopping to run. Losing or not, exhausted or not, Faeryl Jaelre didn't give up, even if it means getting one of the nicest person she knew as a girlfriend. Goddess, how her lungs ached! She stumbled again, and this time she fell hard, and was too exhausted to get up again. Breathing heavily, she rolled on her back and waited.  
Almost instantly, Demin was there, kneeling by her side.

"Are you all right, Faeryl? Are you hurting somewhere?" she asked with a touching concern.

Faeryl smiled at the elf. She had never really looked at her before. She has noticed that the elf was pretty, but not how pretty. Under the glittering light of the stars, she was achingly beautiful.

"So lovely," she whispered, raising a hand to cradle tenderly Demin's face.

The Priestess of Rillifane held her breath, keeping very still, as if afraid to frighten Faeryl. She had waited so long for such a simple gesture... her eyes began to moisten. Sweet Rillifane, she wasn't going to cry!  
Softly grabbing Demin's neck, Faeryl leaded the elf lips to hers.

"It seems that I lost the race, lovely," she whispered huskily against Demin's mouth, "strangely, it doesn't frighten me anymore."

Demin chuckled:

"I had noticed. Does it means that you'll be giving us a chance?"

Faeryl's hand ran down the other woman back, lightly stroking her skin. The priestess shuddered under the caress.

"I want you to stay with me tonight. I just want you to hold me. I don't want to be alone anymore."

Faeryl golden eyes were locked with Demin's own. They expressed so much hope, so much need...

"Of course, I'll stay with you, mellamin. For as long as you'll want me to." answered the high priestess, lying down next to the drothir.

Gently, she embraced the woman she loved and for a long time, neither of them spoke a word.


	9. Family is a bitch

CHAPTER 9: Family is a bitch

Disclaimer: I don't own BG2

* * *

For the first time since her departure from Candlekeep, Faeryl Jaelre, Sword dancer of Eilistraee was happy.  
Totally, blissfully happy.  
Never before had she felt so complete, so whole, as if she had been reunited with a missing piece of herself she would have been searching for without knowing.  
With a blissful smile, she snuggled against the warm body of Demin who was lying on their large bed, wearing only the thin spidersilk nightgown that the half-drow had offered to her to match her own. Opening her eyes, the elven high priestess beamed at her and ran a hand through the soft blue hair of her lover.

"Good morning, mellamin. Did you sleep well?" asked Demin sleepily.

"Morning' mrimm d'ssinss. I always sleep well when I'm with you." answered the drothir.

I can't believe that I just said that! She thought, I never talked like that to anyone! And the worst is that it doesn't even really bother me anymore. Goddess, what did this woman did to me? I speak like the stupid heroines of those cursed novels Imoen like so much!

"You seem to be in high spirit this morn, love. Is there any particular reason?"

Smiling, Faeryl leaned on Demin to kiss her forehead.  
"I was just thinking about how happy I've been lately. It's like a dream come true. Everything I wanted I have: a safe place to call home, a happy family, a too-fair-to-be-real lover, my own shrine of the Dark Maiden. I could almost believe in a happy ever after."

"Almost, my love?" asked the priestess of Rillifane with a slight frown.

"I'm just happy, not delusional. This is just too good to last. But I don't want to talk about it. No need to darken this lovely morning with pointless doomsaying. I've much better ideas about how to begin this new day..."

Demin's answer was silenced by her lover lips founding hers, joining in a deep, long, passionate kiss.

"Mm...You cheater! That's not fair!" breathed the elf when the kiss ended.

"I've never been known to play fair, ssinssrigg..." purred Faeryl, her fingertips lightly stroking the high priestess inner thigh.

"Fae...What do you think you're doing?" asked Demin with a mock frown.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" retorted Faeryl, gently nibbling on the sensitive ear of the elf.  
"Ooh, Faeryl...pl-please, don't..." she moaned, trying feebly to free herself of Faeryl's caresses.

"Are you sure that you want me to stop? Why?" asked Faeryl, her delicate hand sliding under Demin nightgown.

So beautiful, she thought, watching her dark blue grey hand traveling up the white leg of her lover. The fair skinned elf gasped, her breath suddenly quickening.

"I mean, I would love to lie with you a while longer, but I have to go to the temple soon...Fae? D-do you listen to me? Ooh..."

Faeryl knew she had won. Demin never could resist her for long. A superior smile playing on her lips, she began to kiss softly the elf now bare belly. And then...

"Heya! It's me Imoen! Fae? Dee? Where are ya?"

The drothir growled in annoyance. Why did the little devil have to arrive just NOW?

"Sis'? Are ya home? Ya promised we would go see Coran today, remember? Sis'?"

Imoen voice was drawing closer. With a sigh, Faeryl disentangled herself from Demin, to let the priestess cover herself, which she finished to do as the pink haired mage entered the bedroom.

"Ah, there ya are!" With a big grin, she jumped on the bed, between the two elves.

Then, noticing the deep flush of Demin cheeks and the annoyed look on her big sister face, the young human's smile widened.

"Mm... Were you to going to have sex? D'ya want me to come back later?"

"Yes!" immediately answered the half-drow.

"No!" protested Demin simultaneously, "I really have to get up, now. I've clerical duties to attend to. I' ll see you both later."

The high priestess quickly kissed Faeryl, grabbed her clothes and darted out the room, with a wink toward her lover.

The sword dancer glared at her sister.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"Me? Of course I did? You would have stayed there until noon, if I hadn't come rescuing poor Dee. She had been late at her own services two time in fifteen days, while everybody says that it never happened before, in thirty years!"

"I suppose you're right...Again." sighed Faeryl, "Okay, as you're here already, let's go see Coran now. Are Aerie and Phaere with you?"

"No, Phaere wanted to spend a day alone with Solaufein and Aerie is still sleeping. Phaere really exhausted her last night."

Noticing the raised eyebrow of the drothir, Imoen chuckled.

"Not like that, perv'! They were practicing non-magical combat, that's all!"

"I didn't say anything, did I?" grinned Faeryl.

One hour later, the two sisters were heading toward Coran cabin, deep into the tethyrian forest, laughing, singing and skipping along the way.

"So," began the sword dancer, suddenly serious again, "as the elven city became invisible among the trees, "Why did you want to see Coran so much?"

"Well, he's a friend! He shouldn't spend his time alone in this dark forest, like that. More so since he's been wounded by these werewolves."

"He didn't want to come with us to Suldanesselar after I healed him. I think that he actually wanted to be left alone. I mean, he's always been a lady-killer, so being suddenly disfigured like that must be pretty hard to him."

"That's why he shouldn't be alone!" retorted Imoen.

The thief eyed her sister curiously an instant.

"Have ya something against him? Ya're more compassionate than that usually."

"I've nothing against him, it's just that I don't like the way he used to use women to satisfy his desires before forsaking them without a second thought. I think that those wounds are perhaps a good thing to him. They will make him think about his life a little and if he's clever enough, he might learn a lesson from this."

"Uh. Whatever ya say..."

They walked some more minutes in companionable silence, when without reason that Imoen could see, Faeryl stopped and drew her swords, adopting a wary fighting stance.

"Fae?" asked the mage, reaching for her pouch of magical components, "what is it?"

"Shh! Don't you hear?" whispered the drothir, scanning the forest for an invisible enemy.

"Hear what? There isn't any noise...Oh."

With a word of power, the human casted a stoneskin spell, immediately followed by others magical protections. She cursed herself for not taking her staff of the magi with her. Meanwhile, Faeryl had casted her own defensive spells and was listening attentively for any unusual sound.

"We know that you're watching us, whoever you are ! Just show yourselves and let's be done with this nonsense! We've better thing to do than to wait for you to attack all day!"

"Fae, what sorts of moronic villains would blow up her cover like th-" began Imoen, but her words died when three vicious looking drows appeared from behind several large trees." Okay, they would."

They were all females, armed and armored, their eyes shining with amused malevolence. Faeryl frowned; two of the drows were oddly familiar. The female whose armor was the most ornate make three steps toward the two sisters. ; this drow was obviously the leader of the group, she literally radiated with power.

"Well met Faeryl Jaelre! It has been a long chase you led us into, I tell you. It has been month now since we began to look for you, but each time we found a clue of your presence somewhere you were already elsewhere. It was very frustrating, my child."

Faeryl shivered. This voice...She knew it. She had heard it often a long; long time ago. When she lived with Mother. A feeling of dread crushed her heart suddenly. This woman was dangerous. If those three had showed themselves, it meant than at least two time this number were still hiding around them.

"Imoen, can you discreetly warn Jaheira about them? I've a bad feeling about this." whispered the sword dancer to the other bhaalspawn.

"I'll try, but I need ya to keep their attention to ya, so they won't notice me cast the spell."

"Hopefully, I think they don't want to hurt us yet. Tell Jaheira that I know them. I don't remember very well, but I think...I think they're my mother's family."

"Your mother's...family? Those from Cormanthyr?"

The younger drow took a step forward and addressed the one who had spoken first.

"Malla Jabbress, I think that perhaps she don't recognize us."

"Is that so Faeryl? Don't you remember who we are?"

"I know that you are of my mother's House, for I know the insignia you wear. And I know that I've seen you before, but I can't recall when, or where." answered the half-drow.

"Really? What a pity. I was so happy to find the last child of my poor sister."

"Your sister? You're my aunt?"

"Yes. My name is Zarra Jaelre, high priestess of Vaeraun and these two are my daughter Irae and my servant Rav'shra. I came here to take you home with me."

"But what do you want from me? What have a cleric of the Dark Maiden, which could interest a priestess of Vaeraun?"

"Your blood, dear. You should be used to it by now, to people chasing you because you are a child of Bhaal. Know that your sire and my lord were secretly allied; if Bhaal hadn't been killed during the Time of Troubles, he was to help Lord Vaeraun to kill Lolth and replace her as divine patrons of the drows. Now that your sire is dead, because we share the same blood, we can use yours as a focus to gain access to his divine essence and give it to our god. You don't even have to die for that, and you would at last be freed of Bhaal taint. Think about it; you could free the entire drow race of the tyranny of the Spider Queen and free yourself of your father influence. All you have to do is to come with us."

"I understand that you'll try to take me with you wether I agree or not?"

"Oh my dear, I usually get what I want, and what I want now, is you. If you come of your own free will, it will make thing easier for everybody."

"Fae, I contacted Jaheira and Aerie. We should get some more company very soon." intervened Imoen. "Oh, you really shouldn't have done that, young one," said Zarra, "Rav'shra if you would be so kind?..."

"At once, mistress. Soldiers! With me!"

The third drow's form blurred, as her form shifted in that of a six-armed woman with a serpent tail instead of legs. From the forest around the two sisters five other drows came running, swords drawn in one hand, hand crossbow in the other, firing at Faeryl and Imoen, whose magical protections deflected the projectiles.

"Imoen, take the soldiers! I'll fight the marilith!" screamed the drothir.

Her clear voice rising in a hymn to Eilistraee, Faeryl charged the demon, her twin swords flashing, while the other bhaalspawn stepped through a quickly conjured dimension door.  
With a lone victim in sight, the five dark elven warriors charged the drothir, only to be caught in a cone of cold coming seemingly of nowhere, killing three of them on the spot. The two survivors shots volleys of poisoned darts at where they thought the spell had been cast, only to be hit and felled by a prismatic spray as a mocking laughter sounded behind them. Meanwhile, Faeryl seemed to have more trouble holding her own against the powerful marilith. Her battle dance was ineffective as the demon's six arms moved with an uncanny speed, her scimitars often striking home through the sword dancer's parries, while Faeryl hits had no effect against the monster.  
The drothir knew that it was just a matter of time before the immunity against magic weapons protecting Rav'shra would wear off but she had to stay alive until then. Unfortunately, she was already growing weak from the loss of blood, and her adversary didn't let her any free moment to heal herself, striking again and again, with frightening skill, inflicting new wounds more quickly than her ring of Gaxx could regenerate them. If she didn't find a solution, realized the drothir, she was going to lose. Her ironskin spell was down and she was without armor, so a classical defensive strategy was out of question. Time to improvise, it seemed. A crazy smile playing on her lips, the sword dancer rolled under the demon guard, rising on her feet in the same fluid motion, then darted in the opposite direction while the demon was still turning toward the spot she believed her enemy to stand.  
Using her few seconds of respite, the sword dancer casted a protection from evil spell, then as the tanar'ri noticed her she began the incantation of another spell. The monster undulated toward the half-drow with horrify grace and swiftness, her scimitars raised. She was so close already...It was going to be close, very close thought Faeryl. Before she even finished that thought, Rav'shra was upon her, lashing with her unholy blades. At the same time, Faeryl casting was completed, materializing around her a whirling ring of sharp blades who cut deep in the monster flesh, but not soon enough however to stop her striking scimitars. The two adversaries howled in pain, breaking the melee once more.  
One of the tanar'ri arms had been cleaved of, while blood poured freely out of two deep cuts in the drothir torso and belly.  
Hissing in fury, the marilith began to circle her foe, waiting for the spell to wear off. Faeryl smiled to the monster, her blood pounded in her head, pain, fear and excitation mingling into a single, alien emotion, a ferocious desire to fight, maim and kill her enemy. No. Not her enemy. Her prey. Slowly, the drothir golden eyes began to glow.  
Still invisible, Imoen watched the duel, waiting for an occasion to intervene without risking to hurt her sister, but the two combatants were too close to her to cast most of her powerful spell at the Marilith. The two last drows didn't seem to have any intention of entering the fight themselves, while not looking nor angered by the loss of their warriors, nor afraid of having an invisible and probably hostile mage lurking around.  
As these thoughts came to the young wizard, Irae turned her head in her direction and winked at her. Startled, Imoen cursed under her breath, wondering what was taking Jaheira so long. It is then that she noticed the glow in Faeryl eyes. This time, she didn't bother to muffle her curses. Oblivious of her surroundings, Faeryl charged Rav'shra once more, not paying attention to her wounds, pouncing the fiend and savagely hacking at her chest, strategy and refined swordcraft forgotten. When the marilith successfully disengaged herself from the bhaalspawn, her torso was torn open, her entrails kept in her savaged belly by an ichor-covered hand.

"Enough!" suddenly snapped Zarra, her voice strong and full of authority," I have seen what I wanted to see. Now that I know, what they're able to do, no further testing is needed. Rav'shra, we will leave now, before their reinforcements arrive."

"But mistress, why not abduct her now, while we can?" panted the marilith, dodging Faeryl's swords,"We could-"

"Do you discuss my orders, Rav'shra? Shall I need to punish you?"

"N-no Malla C'rintri. I hear and obey." answered the demon fearfully.

Snarling toward the half-drow, the monster teleported away, immediately followed by Irae, leaving Zarra facing Faeryl alone.  
The sword dancer, furious to see her prey disappear attacked the sole remaining creature she could see, charging and stabbing viciously at her, but her swords never reached the drow's skin, as an energy ray hit the sword dancer, sending her flying fifteen feet away into a tree which shook violently under the powerful impact.  
The still invisible Imoen cried out in alarm, rising her hand to cast a spell, but a vicious pain erupted in her head, disrupting her casting.  
Calmly, the drow priestess walked to the prone form of her niece, kneeled besides her to whisper in her ear in a soft, almost tender voice.

"You are lucky today, my niece, because I need you to come to me of your own will. But fear not, my child, in the days to come, I will give you reasons aplenty to seek me, and when you'll come, -and I know you will- I want you to remember that you chose to make all this matter well more difficult than it could have been..."

With a soft, musical laugh, the priestess of Vaeraun teleported away, as Jaheira's and Minsc's voices began to be heard farther in the forest.


End file.
